Electric generator



Nov. 7, 1944. P. OSTENBERG ELECTRIC GENERATOIE INVENTOR 5 6/2/24; 24/; m3 V m w? m? a w 1 0 m. \b A w hN m 3N Mm TTX Patented Nov. 7, 1944 iUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,382,151 ELECTRIC omen-Aron PontusOstenbeig, San Jose, Calif.

Application August 18, 1943, Serial No. 499,299

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method and means for generatingelectricity, but diilers from most said devices in that a reciprocatingmagnetic field is used instead of a rotating magnetic field.

It is one object of the present invention to utilize the direct thrustfrom an elastic cushion to energize a coil of wire by reciprocating amagnet therein.

It is another object to provide a method and means for generatingelectricity whereby all rotary bearings and connecting rods areeliminated, and whereby either single or polyphase currents may beproduced.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a means of thecharacter indicated that will be simple in form and construction,economical to manufacture, one wherein th elastic cushions formed in afree piston engine are utilized to reciprocate a magnet in a coil ofwire to energize the same, and one that will be highly eflicient in itspractical application.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description,in which- Figure l is a l'ongitudnal sectional view through a deviceembodying my invention, partly in elevation and parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a detail illustration showing a modification of theinvention, with parts broken away. v

Figure 3 is a detail illustration showing the invention as modified forproducing polyphase currents.

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed I show atA a tree piston engine and at 13-3 two single phase generators operatedthereby.

The engine A" comprises a cylinder l in which the pistons 2-2areciprocate and which is surrounded by a second cylinder 3 having theannular water chamber 5 therein encompassing the explosion chamber 4 ofthe engine. Annular air chambers 6 are formed in the end portions ofcylinder 3 as shown and are connected by a passage whereby the airpressure in the two chambers is equalized. Intake passages as 8 leadfrom chamber 6a to the interior of cylinder I, and discharge passages 9lead from the opposite end portion of the cylinder Ito discharge intomanifold l0.

Inasmuch as the two ends of the device are duplicates one end only willbe described in detail and similar parts on the other end will beindicated by similar characters followed by the character 11.

Through the outer end of chamber 6 are formed passages as l I fittedwith inwardly opening check valves l2, the said passages leading to anannular cylinder l 3 axially disposed relative to cylinder l andsomewhat largerln diameter than said cylinder-and mounted endwlsethereon as at M. This cylinder I3 is provided with an air intake passageat l5 fitted with an inwardly operating check valve as at It anddisposed adjacent the inner end of said cylinder.

The piston 2 has an enlarged head I! thereon to reciprocat in chamberl3, and a stem i8 projects axially outwardly from said head and throughthe bearing H3 in the outer end of the chamber I3 and has a shoulder 20formed therein as shown, exteriorly of chamber I3 to form a seat for themagnet 21.

The magnet 21 is a field magnet, and in the present instance comprises apart 22, circular in form, seated on the shoulder '20, a second member24 of smaller diameter seated on the member 22, and a winding of wire onthe second member as indicated at 23 and grounded to said second part.This second member 24 is also provided with a flange 25 extendingoutwardly from its outer end at right angles to its axis, and thenturned backwardly in parallel relation with the axis and with a diameterslightly greater than the chamber l3 to encompass the magnet parts 22and 24 as shown. The winding 23 is enersized by means of a battery at 26grounded to the engine at 21 and connected to a bar 28 mounted upon theengine at 29 and extending forwardly thereof as indicated, in parallelrelation with its axis. A shoe 30 slidably engages the bar 28 and is infixed contact with the coil 23 so that the magnet is energized at alltimes regardless of its position with relation to the fixed end of thedevice.

The armature comprises a coil of wire as 3! within a supporting cylinder32 mounted upon the outer end of chamber I! to encompass the magnetparts 22 and 24. Wires as 33 connect the armatures 3| and 3la, and.electricity is taken 05 of these wires as at 34.

When the device is in operation the outward movement or the piston headsI'l-lla draw air into the chambers l3l3a through valves -lBI6a, and ontheir inward movement push and carry out all-oi the burnt gases at 8leaving at N and discharged through valve into the combustion chamber 4.These parts are proportioned and arranged to form a combustible mixtureat the moment when the pistons 2-2a approach each other most closely,the resulting explosion driving the pistons outwardly again to repeatthe cycle. The valves at l'I-lla are inmrted in chambers l3--l3a topermit the drawing of air into said chambers to compensate for such airas may leak out of the same past the heads II-lla, or past bearing-sIii-49a.

In an engine of this kind the pistons 22a are reciprocated at highspeed, upwards of some ten thousand times a minute, and the magnets2l--2la are, or course, reciprocated at the same high speed. In thismanner the mechanical energy of the engine is converted into electricalenergy, since the rapid reciprocation oi the magnetic fields about themagnets 2l-2la through the induction coils tl-Jia will rapidly alter thenumber 01' lines or force passing through the coils.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 the stem i8 terminates ina permanent magnet 42 which is axially reciprocated relative to thecoils 43 to induce an electrical current therein, and in Figure 3 thepermanent m'flsnet H is reciprocated in the coils "-4! to show that apolyphase'generator may be constructed in substantially the same manner.

Since the rapidity of reciprocation oi the two pistons 2-20 may bereadily controlled the volt-' age delivered to wires 34 may be anywherewithin the capacity of the engine, the wires connecting the twoarmatures Il-lla always maintaining the output of the two armatures inperfect balance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an engine including a pair of freelyreciprocable pistons actuated by expanding gaseous charges both betweenand behind them: of a magnet reciprocated by each piston, and aninduction coil operatively disposed relative toeach magnet.

2. The combination with an engine includin a pair of freely reciprocablepistons actuated by expanding gaseous charges both between and behindthem; or a magnet reciprocated by each piston, an induction coiloperatively disposed relative to each magnet, and electricity conductingmeans connecting the two induction coils.

3. The combination with an engine including a pair oi freelyreciprocable pistons actuated by expanding gaseous charges both betweenand behind them: or a magnet re'ciprocated by each piston, and anarmature operatively disposed relative to each magnet.

PONTUS OSTENBERG.

